

Manchester’s James have been crafting indelible Britpop anthems since the early ‘80s, and they continue to deliver on their 14th album. The barroom-ready “Nothing but Love” combines a shout-along chorus with a slippery synth line, while “To My Surprise” features the band’s trademark canny lyrics. But there’s more to James than festival-worthy sing-alongs; the spiraling “Alvin” and the claustrophobic “Waking” strip down to catchy hooks and New Wave moxie, while “Move Down South” is immersed in fuzzy guitars and heady Western imagery.